Unreal Past: Read and Practice!

The verb to wish

Why the verb "to wish" may not go with present verbs!
Because ~ If you can do it, then you do not have to wish for it.

wrong: I wish I can ride a bike.
I "can" ride a bike means I have the ability.

right: I wish I "could" ride a bike.

Present mood:
The verb to wish is followed by an 'unreal' past tense when we want to talk about situations in the present that we are not happy about but cannot change:

* I wish I had more money. (= but I don't have)
* She wishes she were beautiful. (= but she's not)
* We wish we could come to your party. (= but we can't)

wish -> past verb

Past mood:
When we want to talk about situations in the past that we are not happy about or actions that we regret, we use the verb to wish followed by past perfect:

* I wish I hadn't said that. (= but I did)
* He wishes he hadn't bought the car. (= but he bought it.)
* I wish I had taken that job in New York. (= but I didn't, so I'm stuck in Bristol)

wish -> past perfect (had + past participle)


NOTE: When we want to talk about situations we are not happy about and where we want someone else to change them, we use "to wish" followed by would + infinitive:

* I wish he would stop smoking. (= I don't like it, I want him to change it)
* I wish you would go away. (= I don't want you here, I want you to take some action)
* I wish you wouldn't squeeze the toothpaste from the middle! (= I want you to change your habits.)

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Let's Practice Present mood:

I wish I had a new computer.

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I wish I could get a better score.

I wish everyone could be happy.

I wish I could fly.

I wish I would be smarter.

I wish I would be stronger.

I wish I wouldn't need to go to school tomorrow.

(It's similar to If-clause , right? )

I wish hadn't wrote a lot of ''Because''.

Sammy Leu wrote:

I wish hadn't wrote a lot of ''Because''.

Read grammar rules and also check out the previous sentences written by others.

I wish I could be number one for test.

I wish I could change my school teacher.

i wish i could be a eagle.

Howard papaya wrote:

i wish i could be a eagle.

I wish I could be an eagle.

I wish I could know the meaning why I am alive.

I wish I could be an animal

Aaron Lee wrote:

I wish I was were an animal. albino dog v nibble Winnie Pooh pinkpanther goat

Please, keep grammar practices serious